To Serve and Protect
by Crazy Lady Wolf
Summary: Santana Lopez wakes up expecting another crappy day in the life of a foster child. What she gets is anything but that, with a declaration of affections, a startling 'moment' with a hard-ass, and a threat to her life, she hits the floor running with her best friend, Puck. Oh and she also gets told that the world she thought she knew is a complete lie. Rated T for swearing.
1. Upside Down

**Hey there, wonderful readers! Here's something that I was mulling around in my head that I thought might entertain you. This is not a romantic 'Pucktana' fic, they're just a pretty interesting pair of buddies to me. For the minor Spanish I have, the translations are at the bottom. **

* * *

Upside Down

"Wake up, girl," a boy with light brown hair barked. In response, the girl he spoke to let out a soft curse. "I said, _wake up_."

The small Latina girl, with hair as dark as night and eyes to match, finally sat up in her bed, if you could even call it that. It was just a beat up mattress with uneven springs and a musty smell. Sleepiness tugged at the girl's eyelids, making it harder for her to keep from snapping at the boy, even though he deserved it. She wasn't a morning person and he was intentionally testing her tolerance.

"I'm up," she said with a soft yawn. Rubbing her eyes with her hands, she attempted to pull herself further from sleep and closer to full awareness. A great part of her mind begged for more rest, not wanting to let go of the sweet bliss her dreams rarely allotted her.

"Good," the boy declared. He crossed his scrawny arms across his chest and looked down at her through narrowed eyes. "You have ten minutes until we leave you."

"Fine, now get out." Her patience reached its end. The boy let out a snort, giving her a hateful sneer before stomping out of her room.

'_Finally_,' she thought. Slowly, she rose from her bed with a stretch, yawning as she did so. The room was quiet once she closed her mouth except for the soft pops that came from her back. A content sigh escaped her lips once she popped out all the kinks she could from her spine. She padded her way to her small dresser and looked into the cracked mirror that was on top of it. The reflection she saw was the same as always, not that she expected it to be any different.

She still had two eyes so dark that the pupils blended with the irises which were framed by equally dark lashes, tan pimple-free skin as smooth and soft as silk, a pair of plump red lips that had yet to be enjoyed by anyone and long, glossy black tresses. Her face remained calm, the picture perfect image of stoicism.

"Another day in the life of Santana Lopez, where the most exciting thing to happen is quietly telling off a stupid bed-wetting boy who thinks the mullet is the coolest hairstyle ever," she muttered to her reflection. A glint of amusement flashed in her eyes before it was chased away by indifference. It had been years since the Latina mastered her façade of impassivity. "What are you doing with yourself? Who _are_ you?"

After blinking at her reflection, she let out a light sigh and got ready for school. In moments she was all set, wearing an old pair of torn up jeans and a plain black V-neck shirt completed with worn-out black and white chucks. She trudged her way out of the apartment house, down the steps and across the street to two impatiently waiting brothers.

"About fucking time, Lopez," growled the tall, blonde-haired boy who stood next to his smaller mullet brained brother.

"It took me six minutes, Fred," was all she said in reply as she gathered her hair into a high ponytail. Sunlight gleamed off of the silver charm bracelet that dangled from her wrist, shining directly into a certain annoyed boy's eyes. The sunlight's _victim_, Fred, let out a soft grunt before demanding everyone to get into his car. The two younger kids clambered into the backseat of the rusted grey Toyota corolla.

"So, Rick, the game tonight, excited?" asked the driving teenaged boy.

"Yup, I've been practicing my J shot," his brother answered, cutting his glance to the Latina beside him. "You're going to be there cheering me on, right?"

Instead of snapping at him like she wanted to, she smoothly replied, "I can't, I'm going to the library. It's the second Wednesday of the month, you know I have to go and meet up with my social worker."

"You meet with that old hag at five, and my game is at seven, how long does it take to tell her how amazing we are to you?" The boy's voice was sharp, angry.

"We talk about a lot of things. We discuss my schoolwork, my health, things I've learned, and things I need to work on, how I feel about your family, how I feel about the school, upcoming afterschool stuff. It's a lot more than just you." She crossed her arms, a scowl pulling at her lips and eyes. Her gaze remained trained on the view out of her window, avoiding the glare Fred threw at her via the rearview mirror.

The car ride to school remained tense for the twenty minutes that remained. The moment they were parked, the girl shot out, sprinting to where she would find the only one who understood her well enough.

Moments later, she found herself leaning against the cold brick wall of the school on the far east wing. A lanky boy stood in front of her, a half smirk tugging at his lips. Running his fingers through his close-cut, somewhat curly black hair, his greenish-brown eyes lazily wandered up and down her body, lingering on her chest a little too long. Of course, his ogling didn't go unnoticed by the girl under scrutiny.

"Oye, eyes aquí," she snapped, pointing to her face and using Spanish to emphasize her point.

"You sound so hot when you speak Spanish, Lopez," he answered half-wittedly. She snorted, rolling her eyes and pushing off the wall with her shoulder. He just watched, silently appraising the fluidity of her movements.

"Puck, you're such an idiot." Her voice carried a sneering tone that would have caused any other person to cringe, yet all the boy did was smirk more. Noah Puckerman, who preferred Puck, was a bit of a puzzle for Santana Lopez.

"An idiot for you, baby!"

"You say that to all the girls," she scoffed. He shrugged then dug his hand in his pocket as if looking for something. "What are you doing?"

"Getting you…" he pulled his hand free, holding something small between his fingers, "this! It's a charm… for you." A sudden nervous edge stuck to his words as he held out the trinket in his sweaty palm.

"Oh," she squeaked. It was a rare thing to surprise the raven haired girl into speechlessness.

"Yeah, it's for your bracelet." They were both blushing as she took the silver charm from his palm and held it. "It's a bow and arrow because you have good aim and stuff..."

She nodded, eyeing the intricate designs that her gift consisted of. Something stirred in her stomach, a feeling of dread and excitement coalescing angrily.

"It's pretty," she muttered, stowing it away in her jeans pocket. For a fraction of a moment she held his gaze before she turned her attention to the students milling around further down the wall. In that fraction of a moment, she felt her heart tug painfully. He was the only real friend she ever had and it was in moments like that when he acted sincerely that she loved him… like a brother.

"You're prettier, Tana," he whispered. Her neck snapped as she whipped her head around and stared at him with incredulous eyes.

"Noah Puckerman, do _not_ do that," she spat. Her dark eyes narrowed then she turned on her heel and stalked off through one of the many doors that led to main hall of the school. Her cheeks were flushed and she held her hands in tight fists. Anger bubbled near the surface as she made her way to her locker. Muttering to herself, she stewed, opening her locker forcibly after four failed attempts at her dial combination.

She always reacted that way when he did _that_. It just wasn't something she would tolerate for many reasons. Noah Puckerman was her best friend, her stable rock for nearly three years. She wouldn't chance that with some stupid date or whatever; she knew his tastes and likes were as fickle as fickle could be, especially for a 13 year old. And another thing, Santana Lopez did _not_ do icky, feely-feely sappy, emotional garbage.

"Move it, jalapeño popper, you're in my way," a redheaded girl snarled, shoving the Latina roughly. It took everything the tan girl held in her will power to not take a swing at the girl. A triumphant smirk pulled at the ginger, her cold grey eyes alight with glee.

"You know what, _Emma_, why the hell don't you shove off?" the brunette growled. Her voice came out strange, gravelly and deeper than usual.

"Finally hitting puberty, bean burrito?"

"I am going to _kick your ass._" Her limit was reached, the girl couldn't hold on any longer.

She slammed her locker shut with a loud thud, silencing the once boisterous hallway. All eyes turned to the fiery Latina whose hands were trembling with rage. Blood roared in her ears, pounding with the quick beat of her enraged heart. Her vision narrowed and the edges tinted with red.

"Shit," grumbled a familiar voice. Arms wrapped themselves around the raging girl just as she was about to launch herself. "Calm down!"

"¡Te vas a arrepentir, estúpida! ¡Te lo juro!" she screamed, not putting up much of a fight against her friend, Puck. She recognized the way his arms fit around her, the small sense of calm that his familiar presence brought and the smell of his strong cologne. "¡Soy Santana López, y nunca me cruzas, porque tengo la fuerza de un demonio!"

The Emma girl swallowed thickly, her eyes shining with fear and face white with terror. She attempted to pull back her cool and casual demeanor but the obviously threatening Spanish that was slung from the Latina's mouth startled her.

"What's going on here?" boomed a voice full of annoyance and authority. An old man with thinning grey hair walked up to the scene, glancing at the half circle formed around the boy who held a screaming girl and the redhead who looked as spooked as a deer in headlights.

"Nothing really," replied the boy holding the quieting girl. "Just a mix up, right, Santana?" He moved his arms so that his hands rested on the brunette's hips.

She grunted, shoving her friend's hands away before stepping towards the man.

"I should have known you were behind this, Lopez, in my office, now."

Muttering Spanish obscenities, she stormed down the hall to the principal's office. The crowd of students that surrounded her parted like the Red Sea, fearful of her vicious and intense wrath.

"Ms. Frost, I suggest you and the rest of this crowd scurry to your classes before the late bell rings for homeroom, you too, Mr. Puckerman."

Everyone scattered, quickly making their way towards their respective classes, everyone except Puck. He stood tall with his chin raised and arms crossed defiantly.

"Emma was the one that started it, like always," he said. Rage darkened his irises as he watched his principal shrug.

"Ms. Frost is an exemplary student. She's the student body president, captain of the cheerleaders, captain of the volleyball squad, founder of the book club and on the honor roll. She's never been in trouble for yelling, threatening or attempting to physically inflict damage to another person. Ms. Lopez, on the other hand, has been in trouble for _each_ of those reasons on _multiple_ occasions. Do you see what I'm trying to say, young man?"

The boy didn't say a word, just clenched his jaw and nodded before turning to go to his class.

With that taken care of, the aged principal took slow strides toward his office, taking many deep breaths in order to ready himself for the awaiting student. He knew she had potential to do great things, something in his gut rebelled against punishing her, yet he couldn't overlook her on going dismissal of the rules. He set his face against the sadness in his heart and entered the room.

"She started it; you know that, don't you?" Her voice sliced the air in the room, filling the four walls with accusation and frustration. Her posture, as she sat on the overstuffed chair in front of his desk, showed just how on the offensive she was.

"Regardless, you have to learn to control your temper, Ms. Lopez," the principal stated. He eased his matured body into his worn in chair. "This is the second time this week and the school day hasn't even started. Why are you doing this to yourself?" The principal was shocked at himself; the question was supposed to be thought, not spoken aloud and especially not spoken with such… emotion.

"Why do you care?" she shot back. Her dark eyes danced with fury as she stared at the old man.

'_To hell with it_,' the principal thought. "I care because you have such potential and you're ruining it like every other rebellious teenager I have seen walk these halls for years."

The raven haired girl blinked at her principal, at a loss for any words to say. She wasn't expecting any sort of reply like _that_.

"Santana, we're all given gifts, abilities that help us survive in this world. You're young, but I've seen what you're capable of. Apply yourself, pay attention to the rules and I can't imagine anything other than a bright future ahead of you. If you didn't put so much energy in rebelling and instead maybe joined a club or two, your shot at higher education would be all the more probable. Who knows, after that you might even have a shot at a Nobel Peace Prize."

"Am I on Punk'd or something?" she finally said. The seriousness in her voice caused the man to smile.

"No, Miss Lopez, you are not." He placed his elbows on his desk, threading his fingers and resting his chin on the interlocked digits. "This time, I'll let you off with a stern warning. Do not expect this any other time. I have spoken my brief piece and hope that you heed my words. Off to class now, Santana."

Rising out of her chair, she eyed the old man skeptically. She never would have expected that from him in all of ever; he was a well- known, unfair hard-ass. As she walked out of the room, she couldn't shake away the principal's words from her mind. _We're all given gifts, abilities_.

Something in the way he said that felt ominous, as if he knew something she didn't. But that was silly, the Latina did not believe in anything she couldn't see.

'_Then explain why you invest so much thought into superstitious nonsense_,' a voice whispered sarcastically in her mind.

Rolling her eyes at what she believed to be the worst part of her subconscious, she made her way slowly down a few halls to her first class of the day. She was sure that time with Ms. Cartwright would numb her mind so badly that she'd forget any of the morning's weirdness.

She was right. After a class full of Ms. Cartwright's agitating voice, algebraic calculations and stupid Emma always raising her hand like the brownnose she was, the raven haired wonder felt dead inside. It only got worse as the day progressed, full of monotony, over-dramatization, almost fights and offensive slurs.

She let out a long sigh as she walked through the building's doors at the end of the school day.

"Free at last, free at last," she murmured as she pulled her hair free from the high ponytail she wore. The sudden feeling of her hair falling unfastened sent a pleasing tingle down her spine. "Time for the library."

Her strides were purposeful and strong; she was finally back in control. She knew where she was going and how to get there. She kept the bus schedule of the week at the forefront of her mind as she maneuvered her way on the busy sidewalks of her neighborhood.

"Afternoon, Miss Lopez," an elderly woman called out from behind a vibrant bouquet of roses. The woman's face was lit up with a cheery smile as she put down the watering can she held.

"Hi there, Mrs. Jane," the brunette replied. The girl's voice was light, the lightest it had been all day. The wind picked up as she walked around the various flower arrangements, lifting the beautiful scents to her nose. A loose rose petal landed in her dark hair.

"The flowers love you," Mrs. Jane smiled. The girl's response was a soft chuckle and gentle hug. Of course, the florist wrapped her own frail arms around the sweet girl. "Which flower today, rose or lily?"

"Lily," the Latina replied. Her eyes, which earlier resembled orbs of hard obsidian, appeared like warm, melted chocolate, swimming with content.

"Here you go." A wrinkled hand carefully held a beautiful white and pink Asiatic lily, extending it towards the tan skinned girl.

The Latina took it, holding it gingerly as if it were the most delicate of things. She drank in the beauty, taking in the soft feel of the petals, the bright contrast of the colors and the majesty of the entire flower as a single being.

"You always have the most beautiful flowers, Mrs. Jane," she murmured softly. She continued to gaze at the flower, as if hypnotized.

"Does she speak to you?" the grey haired woman asked. Brown eyes tore themselves from the flower to meet lovely grey ones.

"If only, if only," the raven haired girl replied with a small smile. "It'd be amazing if they could talk. Can you imagine how beautiful they would speak? Imagine the stories they'd have to tell, the wonders of the beauty out there I haven't even had a chance to see yet." For a brief moment she lost herself in her deepest childhood dream, of a never ending garden filled with tinkling laughter and a bright blue sky.

"They do dear, don't you go and forget what I've been telling you," the woman chastised teasingly, pulling the girl from her inner sanctum.

"I remember. '_Flowers have a language all their own and we can learn it if we let our hearts listen_.'" Oh how she prayed that were true so that she may be surrounded by the splendor of flower instead of the ugliness people so constantly portrayed.

"Atta girl!" The two smiled at each other, the younger not as enthusiastically as her elder, before the latter turned to enter her shop. The petite brunette stood, waiting for the other to return. "Here they are." The aged florist returned with three thick text books, which were placed in slim yet strong, tan arms.

"I'll renew the others you still have so there's no late fee. I'll be back in three days, Mrs. Jane, see ya then." With her brief farewell, the smiling Latina went to her bus stop and sat patiently. In only a few moments, her ride appeared and she clambered aboard. Most of the seats were taken and the only free one was next to Brett, who tended to breathe heavily in her ear, so she decided to remain standing.

After riding for a few blocks, the girl left the bus, walking to her destination for her small amount of exercise. She ran into a few familiar faces, waving to Jim the Butcher, Brad the Street Pianist, Jeremiah the Resident Gap Obsessed Closeted Gay Boy. A small sliver of pity nestled in the pit of the girl's stomach as she took in the look of longing that crossed Jeremiah's face as he gazed at couples that walked along. She was tempted to stop and chat with him, but she couldn't. If she did, she wouldn't have time to wander the library and read before her meeting. Instead, she sent him an extra warm smile and continued on.

"_Santana_!" a frantic voice screamed. She turned around, startled as she watched Puck barrel towards her. "Run, _run_!" When he reached her, he wrapped his arms around her waist and tugged her forward. "Get a move on, Lopez!"

"What the fuck got into you, Puckerman?" she roared. Her eyes were narrowed into angry slits as she squirmed in his hold. "Let me go, I'm not in the mood for stupid games." She continued to squirm while trying not to drop the books Mrs. Jane entrusted in her care.

"Santana, they're after me! We need to go, _now_," he insisted, lugging her as best he could. He kept glancing around; his eyes jumping from person to person that walked passed them. It struck an odd nerve in the girl when she noticed that no one seemed to pay them any mind, even though Puck shrieked her name and was obviously holding her against her will.

"What do you mean '_after you_'?" she finally asked, ceasing her protesting movements. He released her which gave the girl an opportunity to shift the books to use only one arm to carry them.

"I don't know who they are," he began, taking her free hand in his. His palms were slick with sweat. "After school, I was with… a girl in the back parking lot." Even with his strange behavior, the Latina couldn't help but roll her eyes and shake her head at her friend. "That's not the point. Santana, they came up to me, lifted and tossed her then grabbed for me. I managed to kick the guy in the nuts to get away and hid under a car. Tana, they don't only want me, they want you too." At that, the girl's skepticism returned.

"Puck, fuck off. I'm losing valuable reading t-"

"Santana Marisol Lopez," he interrupted. She gaped at him, her jaw slack and lips forming a nearly perfect "O" shape.

"How the… how do you know that?" she asked sharply once she regained a hold of herself. She never told anyone her middle name.

"That's what one of the guys said, I figured that you'd really believe me if you knew that. Now come _on,_ let's go!" Puck went back to tugging her roughly, holding her hand in a vice grip as he walked briskly down the sidewalk.

"Let go," she barked. The tone in her voice left no room for hesitation and Puck understood that, for once. He released his grasp on her hand and glared at her. "Noah, shut the fuck up, take my hand again and start walking normally. If you fucking draw attention from whoever those people are, we could be done for. Haven't you noticed everyone is acting as if you weren't some delusional and violent teen? They have to be near. We need to blend in as much as possible."

The hazel eyed boy nodded, taking her hand once more and threading his fingers with hers. Clenching her jaw and fighting the desire to _un_thread their fingers, the Latina opened up her senses to her surroundings.

"We should go to the library, no matter how good these people are, I can almost swear the assistant librarian is better and wouldn't tolerate any sort of scene. Whatever they managed to do to these people, I bet it couldn't do a thing to her."

Puck remained quiet, walking along with her, his palm still very sweaty and his clutch on her hand still too tight.

"One more block, we can make it." Her voice was gentle as she spoke to him and she could feel the pulse in his wrist slow. "We're almost there, Puck."

"Thanks, Tana, I'm glad you're good at this." He smiled at her, it was strained and didn't get close to reaching his eyes but it was something.

"It comes from years of experience from running from people; at six years old I learned how to pick locks. Hell, at three I broke out of my playpen," she chuckled softly. A small chuckle of his own bubbled from the boy, surprising himself.

"You're a dork," he grinned, regaining his usual cool demeanor more and more with each step they took.

The Latina was about to mention that she was serious and her story was 100 percent legitimate but the normalcy of his behavior was way better than the freaked out version of her friend.

"That's it, right there," she announced, pointing to the small building ahead of them. "Don't go too quickly, there's someone that's been following us. Don't turn around, dumbass," she ordered in a fierce whisper.

The pair made their way as casually as they could into the double doors of the library. Once the smell of print, coffee and leather hit the petite's nose, she visibly relaxed. Apparently that's all Puck needed to be reassured because he dropped her hand and wiped his palms on his pants.

"Sorry if that was gross," he apologized sheepishly. The girl shrugged off his apology, making her way to the center of the study area once she placed the books she had in the drop-off box. He followed her the entire way and plopped down on the couch next to her. "How do you know we were being followed?" he whispered.

Her reply was to simply pull out her phone from her back pocket and give him a pointed glare. She flipped open the device and punched at the keys, typing out a message with a huff; _sometimes not having money sucked more than ever, especially when you have a really shitty phone_.

Seconds after she hit the _send_ button, a stupid message tone rang out from the back of Puck's pocket. A blush crept along his cheek as Ms. Virginia, the assistant librarian, shot daggers at them. He immediately shut the phone down to vibrate mode and ran his finger along the screen to open the text he received.

'_He followed us in! Don't say things like that out loud! Thank God for texting.'_

Puck glanced at her from the corner of his eye before tapping out his reply. After hitting _send,_ he waited for the sound of the familiar buzzing. It sounded almost instantly yet she settled further into the couch and fiddled with the phone as if she were still waiting for a reply.

So Puck sat there, wondering what exactly was going on in his friend's mind and not quite sure about how he should behave. He decided to play it cool and open up an app to keep him occupied. Maybe he would beat Angry Birds Star Wars edition in between texting her and nonchalantly keeping safe from a freak.

While Puck busied himself with his game, Santana rolled her eyes, finally checking the message he sent in reply.

'_U dnt evn txt rite! U dnt spell stuff out bcuz its nerdy& I dnt c him'_

She mentally face palmed, giving another but more exaggerated eye roll. '_That phone has auto correct and shit like that, fucking use it, dip tard,' _she ranted inwardly while tapping again.

'_It makes me look smart, Puckerman. He's hiding now behind some shelves, DON'T LOOK. Try to not make it obvious we're texting each other.'_

The message sent and again, Puck immediately answered. The boy's cheeks turned a rosy pink as he read, nodding subtly. Back and forth they went, sending messages.

'_Wat do u think they want_'

'_No clue, did they look professional?_'

'_Wat do u mean'_

_'Did they look like badasses from spy movies or thugs from a gang?'_

_'Spy movies.'_

The girl sighed when she read the last message he sent. '_They're probably dirty cops, considering the fact that they were willing to toss an innocent girl while trying to get to Puck,_' she thought.

Before she began to tap at the keypad again, her hand froze without her consent. _'What the _fuck?' Her mind raced. Her heart started to speed up as she felt her limbs move on their own accord, not so gracefully lifting her from her seat. Puck shot her a curious glance and her hand made a movement for him to follow. They clambered their way out of the building, the entire time her heart in her throat.

She tried to scream, to tell Puck to run and never look back. Guilt and fear caused sweat to trickle down her back the further they got from the library.

Meanwhile three men followed them discreetly. Two of the three men tailed the young teenagers as an unusual pair. One was tall and slender, his skin smooth and sun kissed, a beautiful specimen of the male species while the other was shorter with a round belly, balding head and strange facial structure. The last followed alone; he was burly, filling his flannel shirt with his thick muscled torso and arms while his jeans fit snuggly on his equally impressive legs. All three were on edge, watching every move the boy and girl made.

The lone man ducked into a random store as the teens rounded a corner leading into an alley way. He swallowed the nerves that began to make breathing difficult.

Wandering the store, he kept an eye out the window, waiting until the other men passed and made their own way into the alley. He quickly exited, standing at the corner, listening intently to the four people in the alleyway.

"Tana?" the boy asked slowly, staring ahead at a dead end. He turned his hazel eyes towards her and gulped when he saw just how wide hers were. "Tana?" Fear slowly crept into his voice as he took a step towards her. She didn't move a muscle and her mouth remained close.

"She won't move," a voice laughed. Puck whirled around, his eyes landing on the strange men that blocked their only escape. "She won't move unless I want her too, isn't that right, Ms. Lopez?" the shorter of the two grinned. "Nod."

Against her will, her head jerked before tilting up and down in an awkward nod. Puck growled in frustration, the fists at his side trembling with rage.

Unease snaked its way into the men's hearts as they eyed the boy wearily. Noah Puckerman's abilities were still under debate.

"Leave her alone," he snarled. He took a shaky step forward which caused the two men to take their own steps back. '_What the…_?'

"Ryerson, Saunders, I suggest you let the kids go and give up before you get hurt. I'll give you three seconds to release the girl from your hold before I slit your throat," growled a stern voice. It was then that Puck saw two metal blades glinting in the small amount of sunlight that reached the alley, one per man's throat. He also noticed the very built man that apparently held the blades. Of all the recognizable features the man had, Puck zeroed in on his Mohawk with the most interest.

"I _told_ you I caught Karofsky's scent earlier! You never listen to me!" the slender man screeched. His voice was like nails on a chalkboard.

"Are you kidding me? Ugh, that's the last fucking time I let Azimio talk me into trying any of Matt's stupid experiments," grunted the man who held the men captive. "Sandy, let the girl go, _now_."

Puck watched in horror as the Latina's body lurched violently before she fell to the floor in an unmoving heap. He rushed forward with unnatural speed, taking her in his arms in one smooth motion.

"What did you do to her?" he screamed.

"They're always so dramatic, aren't they, Hank?" the Sandy man said, boredom lacing his voice. "Then again, you were over dramatic once upon a time as well."

The taller man, Hank, blushed as he bit his lip, nodding slowly.

"Enough," Karofsky announced, successfully knocking both Hank and Sandy out by slamming their heads together. It made a sickening noise, something Puck knew he would never forget.

"Who… who are you?" the boy asked cautiously, holding the awakening girl.

"My name is David, David Karofsky, but most people call me Karofsky or just Dave. How's Santana doing?" Karofsky asked lightly.

"I'm okay," the girl in question answered weakly. She gazed up at Puck who was still holding her close to his body. "You can let go now."

"Oh… yeah," he said lamely, releasing her slowly.

"I have a few questions for you, Karofsky." The Latina stood on wobbly feet, brushing herself off while glaring at the burly man.

"Okay, shoot."

"How do you know our names? Who are you? I'm not asking for your name, I'm asking about who you are. And who are they?" she questioned, jutting her chin towards the unconscious men.

"You're pretty good at asking questions, Lopez. I'm Agent David Karofsky of sector Omega 8 of the American Alliance of Abnormal Affairs. The two men, Hank Saunders and Sandy Ryerson, are criminal rouges that were sent to abduct you. I know your name, Santana Lopez and Noah Puckerman, because I was assigned to recruit you before those knuckleheads got to you. You see, you both are special." He paused a moment, a small grin curling his thin lips. "Both of you are the same age I was when they found _me_."

"Wait, what the hell is American Allegiance of whatever? And what the fuck do you mean by _'special'_?"

"The American _Alliance_ of Abnormal Affairs is the American branch of an international organization put in place in order to maintain harmony in the world. There are… people like us, special. We're different from normal people, gifted with abilities given to us through our parents. Some have extraordinary abilities, even among the rest of us. My friend, Azimio, can create sonic booms strong enough to cause small earthquakes. I hear this one girl from the Theta 16 sector has the ability of mind control if she lays her lips on you; she calls herself The Mack. My own dad can create fissures in the ground and find anything precious below the ground."

"So what you're saying is that the X-Men shit is legit?" Puck piped up. Mischief lit his eyes.

"Don't be so gullible, Noah," the raven haired girl snapped.

"You want proof, and I can give that." Karofsky rolled up his sleeves, shaking his hands out and taking deep breaths. His brows pinched together and his mouth settled into a thin line.

"He looks constipated," she quipped, causing her friend to snort.

"I heard that," Karofsky mumbled. He closed his eyes as sweat began to collect on his forehead.

"What are you…" Puck's question trailed off as he watched in amazement as the man that stood before him began to shine. Both he and his companion gasped as they continued to watch him.

Where David Karofsky once stood stood a man with hair of gold, skin of silver and eyes of emerald gems. His movements were smooth, like any other ordinary person. He smiled and the teens gazed in wonderment at his teeth, which were bright white pearls.

"Is this proof enough?" he smirked. The tan skinned girl to a tentative step forward, her hand outstretched.

"This isn't… it's not…" She was at a loss for words.

"I can teach you about yourself, help you figure out why you always felt like an outsider."

Both teenagers winced, casting their eyes to the floor.

"That's the problem with us; we have to learn more about who we are before we can really fit in. For some it's easier, especially the half-bloods. For others it's incredibly difficult. I can help you; give you a place to belong with kids your age, going through the same things you are. Trust me," he said gently. The change that took him over disappeared instantaneously as he took the girl's outstretched hand in his own pale one. "Santana, you've always been different but never truly knew why; now is your time to discover yourself and live in a world where you know yourself. With us, the American AAA, we can guide you as your powers begin to develop."

"What makes you think I'm special?" she whispered. She was afraid to hope for anything that meant possibly leaving her rat hole of a life sooner than graduation. She was especially afraid of being mistaken for someone amazing, special.

"There's no doubt about it, Madam Sylvester herself said to recruit you and your friend. She's never wrong, _ever_." He let go of her then reached into his pocket and pulled out a state of the art cell phone thing. "You see." He tapped in a few commands before a 3D hologram of both the young teens popped up.

"Hey, I'm buffer than that, see," Puck stated, flexing as he did so. His dark haired companion on the other hand simply nodded.

"When do we leave?" The eagerness that laced her voice didn't get past Karofsky as a grin spread across his scruffy face.

"Now if you'd like. We can also stop by your places to pick up anything you might want. If you're worried about clothes, no need, we have all that stuff taken care of. And before you ask, anything to do with school or family and friends is dealt with easily enough, after all, the government is pretty closely allied with us."

Again, another nod before a question lit her dark irises. "How old are you?"

A bellowing laugh resonated through the alley as he slapped his knee and clutched his sides.

"What's so funny?"

"I just won an hour on the PS3 is what's funny. I bet my friend Matt that you'd ask how old I was before we actually got into the car. Oh and to answer you, I turned eighteen a month ago."

"Cool, there're video games!" the younger boy cheered, pumping his fist into the air.

The Latina cracked a smile, wordlessly following the two boys chatting about various video games that the AAA headquarters held.

Her mind wandered as she moved her feet at a steady pace. She was exposed to something that should probably concern her more or maybe even make her question her sanity, yet she accepted it easily enough. What powers could she possibly possess? Could she shoot beams from her hands? Better yet, could she move objects with her mind? Or could she spread her arms and embrace the sky, taking flight? If she could have any of those powers, she knew she would choose flight. Flight meant freedom and that was something she dreamt of since her first foster parents were murdered.

She shuddered at the thought, the heart wrenching memory of watching the first people that seemed to truly care for her killed before her very eyes.

She glanced at the other two, a sense of envy temporarily taking hold of her heart, causing it to squeeze painfully. They had a sense of who they were, she could sense it. Karofsky didn't much, but he did mention something about his dad, which meant he knew him. Puck had his mother who, without a doubt, was the woman who carried him for nine grueling months. They had a biological connection to a person that had a presence in their life.

Who did she have? What did she have?

She shook her head, straightening her spine and lifting her chin. Defiance sparkled in her eyes as she increased her gait enough to be half a step in front of the others.

She knew who she was.

She was a girl who would change the world; a girl who discovered her gifted voice; a girl that forced herself to learn how to kick box because of one abusive foster father; a girl who would fight until the bitter end in order to uphold what she felt was right. And above all, she was Santana Marisol Lopez, the girl who would do whatever it took to do what was right and what was necessary to serve and protect the beauty of the world.

Santana Marisol Lopez would take on whatever forces stood in her way. She was a born fighter; she didn't need to be special to do that. But if she did have some power that could help her with her dream, she'd use it.

Santana smiled again, this time more broadly.

Maybe she had the power to talk to flowers.

* * *

"¡Te vas a arrepentir, estúpida! ¡Te lo juro!" _You'll be sorry, stupid girl! I swear it_!  
"¡Soy Santana López, y nunca me cruzas, porque tengo la fuerza de un demonio!" _I am Santana Lopez and you never cross me because i have the strength/force of a demon_!

**So, any comments? Curious about Santana's and Puck's powers? Missing a certain beautiful blue eyed blonde?  
If so, I'm happy to say that, with enough request, I'll continue this story with more of my brotp Pucktana and buildup my otp Brittana because _Brittana is fucking endgame_! Pucktana will remain strictly platonic, after all, San likes tacos, not hotdogs. Furthermore, if you're missing the other gleeks, they'll be present in the multichap of this. Oh! And I might change the title, still unsure.  
Did anyone pick out some of the random _guest stars_ I included? I think there were three main ones that not many would pay much mind to.**

**Any questions, concerns or if you're just bored, send me a message, comment or check out my tumblr. I love hearing from you guys, it makes my day! Especially since my life right now revolves around school, fanfics and soccer. I have no phone and no friends so I need you guys... yes, I'm a little awkward but pity me lol**

**TUMBLR: crazy-lady-wolf at tumblr dot com**

**Hope you enjoyed and hope to hear from you soon!**


	2. Home is Where the Heart is

**Santana Lopez wakes up expecting another crappy day in the life of a foster child. What she gets is anything but that, with a declaration of affections, a startling 'moment' with a hard-ass, and a threat to her life, she hits the floor running with her best friend, Puck. Oh and she also gets told that the world she thought she knew is a complete lie. Rated T for swearing.**

* * *

Home is Where the Heart is

"Santana, get in here _now_!" my boss demanded, his voice carrying all the way across the building to my office. From his tone and volume I could only assume he actually meant business.

"Looks like someone's ass will finally get chewed out," my partner, Noah 'Puck' Puckerman, snickered. His stupid signature half smirk was plastered on his face as he leaned back in his chair. His hazel eyes shined with mirth, his dimples deepened with the growth of his grin and his dark mohawk stood proudly atop his nearly shaved head.

"Shut it, _Noah_, before I shave that road kill off your head," I snapped. Almost instantly, the smirk dropped from his face only to be replaced by a small frown. He really detested his name which made riling him up easy, and threatening his hair made it even easier. I was about to start teasing him over his obvious hero worship of Dave but was interrupted before the insults left my mouth.

"Lopez!" my boss yelled again. This time, his voice sent a small sense of fear crawling into my stomach; the chief never used last names unless he was really, _really_ pissed. In fact last time that happened, no one ever heard from Howard Bamboo ever again. Not many people remembered him, but how could I forget the guy? His last name was Bamboo for fuck's sake.

"Luck," Puck muttered. A small spark of sincerity filled his hazel eyes before he turned away and looked at the files of our last case in his hands. In that moment I wanted nothing more than to deal with mind-numbing paper work; I wouldn't ever complain about anything ever again.

Taking a deep breath, I slowly lifted myself from my desk chair. I tried to continue taking deep breaths because I was certain that some of my _colleagues_ would hear how erratically my heart was beating. My hands began to quiver a little as I made my way out of my door to the chief's office. I could feel stares boring into my back as I passed each office door. The hall was empty except for me, leaving me an unobscured view of my destination.

_What the hell could this be about?_ I wondered, wracking my mind for any reason at all he'd be so mad at me. _It couldn't be over the Motta case, Puck and I handled that with relative ease and tied up all the loose ends… didn't we?_ A chill ran down my spine. _If we messed up that case, who knew how bad it would be, but she's back where she's supposed to be, and no one found out she didn't belong. _Plus_, she managed to apparently keep her identity a secret from her family-to-be._

"Don't just stand there, open the door and walk in." I heard the chief's voice clearly through the clouded glass door. I silently obeyed, biting back the smartass remark that was on the tip of my tongue.

"Chief Schuester," I greeted with a curt nod. _Show no fear, it's just Will Schuester, he's like a dad. Show no fear, show no fear, show no-_

"Santana, sit down." I gulped at the sound of raw authority in his voice. His green eyes were cold and sharp, unlike anything he ever displayed. He propped his elbows on his desk, threading and unthreading his fingers. Tension rolled off of him in waves, filling the room, nearly suffocating me. I tried hard to keep my breathing normal.

"Sir, if it's alright, I prefer to stand." My voice was strong, confident; a complete contrast to my trembling insides.

He remained silent for a few more moments, resting his chin on his threaded fingers. His quiet gaze unnerved me. Finally, _finally_, he spoke again.

"How old are you?" he asked. The question was very unexpected and I was sure my face expressed just that.

"I'll be nineteen in April… sir," I answered, quickly adding _sir_ as an afterthought. He closed his eyes then and buried his face in his hands, another unexpected gesture. "Chief, may I ask what this is about?" No answer came. "Sir, if this is about the Motta case, I'm certain that Puckerman and I dealt with everything quickly and efficiently. The Rose case was just as successful; Marley and her mother are now under our care."

"Please sit," he said. He sounded like the Chief Schuester I knew, gentle, caring and fatherly. I sat in the chair directly in front of his desk. Then he looked at me and I saw the tightness in the corners of his softened eyes.

"Chief, what's going on?" He sighed, running a hand through his dark, curly hair.

"How old were you when we recruited you?"

"I was found when I was nearly fourteen… why?" My stomach tightened which was never a good sign.

"And Puckerman?" This time he pressed the heels of his palms into his closed eyes.

"The same."

"How long did it take you to pledge?"

"Nearly a year, but he pledged within two weeks." A small voice inside my mind began screaming at me to just run and hide. Instead I asked, "Why does any of that matter?"

"Headquarters was very impressed with the job you two did." The chief's voice was hoarse, as if he were physically straining himself to tell me whatever he was trying to say. "Figgins himself found it very commendable and Sue Sylvester actually offered up a compliment. Everyone agrees how impressive two youngsters like yourselves handled something so complicated with such effortlessness." I sucked in my lips, stopping myself from commenting on how young _he_ was, or at least appeared to be. "Some of the other headquarters know about the two of you and aren't hiding the fact that they're stunned by how easily you complete missions with only a few years allegiance. Santana… you have been offered a chance to recruit a full blood."

I sat there with my mouth hanging open, staring at him with wide eyes. '_He couldn't be serious… could he_?'

"Sir, I'm not sure I totally understand… you couldn't possibly want _me_ to do _that_ job." _There was too much I could mess up_! my mind screeched.

"You and Puck, as well as a few other hand chosen agents," he amended. "And it's not my offer, its Figgins' and Sylvester's."

I closed my eyes because everything began to spin and it suddenly felt hard to breathe. It felt as if my heart decided to relocate in my throat. _The head hanchos wanted me, _me_, to do something as important as recruit a fuckin' _full blood! The news was as exciting as it was terrifying. I felt like I was going to puke up the burgers Puck made us for lunch all over the chief's floor and desk.

"Santana, deep breaths," Chief Schuester said. His voice was closer and even softer than before. I opened my eyes and found myself within inches of him. Slowly, carefully, he kneeled in front of me and placed a hand on my shoulder. I felt the sensation of calmness flow into me from his contact and was grateful.

"Thanks," I murmured, forgetting to add any formality.

"Of course," he replied before pulling back. The wave of calm wasn't as strong without his touch but it stood with me. I sensed he had more to say as he stood back up and leaned against his desk.

"You know that I know you have more to say, so please, Chief, just tell me."

"Very well… you have been assigned to one specific full blood…" He hesitated.

"And…?"

"And… that's not all. There are four half-bloods that are in the same region as well. There's also a big chance that Smythe, Wilde, Frost and Quinzel are after them. Headquarters doesn't want to give away anything that could help the Rouges; therefore, only a very small specifically chosen group of agents will go. You, Santana, were specifically chosen to shadow and recruit the full blood. The rest of the group will help, but Figgins and Sylvester specifically wanted _you_ with the full blood. Before you ask, I don't know what their motives are on choosing you, but I have faith that you'll do amazingly, that is, if you choose to accept the offer."

"I… I can't decide without Puck," I whispered. He nodded, then, without saying a word, pushed away from his desk and left me alone in his office. I sent him a silent thank you, using the few minutes he allotted me to gather my bearings and control my inner confusion. Not even a breath after I calmed myself down did Puck and the chief walk into the room.

"What do you think we should do, Puck?" I asked as soon as he took a seat in the chair next to me. I turned to him, watching his face closely, knowing that the chief gave him a quick rundown of what was going on.

"It depends on this full blood and if the full blood is a she and if she's hot enough for Puckzilla," he joked. He flashed his grin towards the chief before turning back to meet my gaze. His lips were still curled in a sarcastic smile but his eyes were darkened and sobered. "Santana, you know how it is to be out there in a world dominated by regular humans. We were lucky that they found us when they did. We've recruited nine people already and you know it felt great. I don't see why we _shouldn't_ do this. At least we'd be able to save more than one person at a time." In that instant I realized how he really felt about being found by the AAA. The pleading in his gaze tugged at my heartstrings; I only rarely ever got a glimpse of his gentle, sincere side any more.

"A full-blood is in the mix this time, Noah. There will be five—_five—_innocent lives depending on us, one of which belongs to a _full-blood_. You know how precious unrecruited fulls are to the AAA or the Rouges for that matter; they're a rare lot." I took a deep breath before continuing. "Do you think we can do this? Seriously, tell me if you have any doubts that could put these kids in danger?"

"Tana, I have doubts about nearly absolutely _everything_ I do but that doesn't mean I don't want to do this. We _can_ do this though. We were born to fight and protect. Will you do this with me?"

I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat, fingering the bow and arrow charm that hung from the bracelet I never took off. A familiar feeling of panic and exhilaration filled me as I met the eyes of my best friend then my boss.

"Karofsky wouldn't let us live it down if we turned this mission away," I finally said. As predicted a large grin nearly split my partner's face as he jumped to his feet and clapped his hands together eagerly.

"Atta girl," he beamed. I bit my lip painfully at his words.

Lately I had been dreaming of rows bursting with color from different flowers and gentle grey eyes. I shook my head quickly, dispelling my mind from the memories of a certain woman. She was the only person I missed from my past, her and the couple I owed every day of my life to.

_"Santana, it's okay, sweetie, we'll never let anyone hurt you." A louder bang against the door. "I want you to listen very carefully, okay?" I nodded, my tears blurring my vision. "Go hide in the cabinet, next to our bed, okay? And promise me, no matter what happens make sure you always have your bracelet on." Again, I nodded. "I love you, Santana Banana, so much." Another bang crashed against the door as my mother wrapped me in her embrace. "Now go, little soldier."_

"Santana?" Puck said forcefully. I blinked a few times, lost in the memory of the worst day of my life.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Chief just said that we're going to have to go through the Ceremony of Acceptance tonight." Both Chief Schuester and Puck watched me with wary eyes as I began to nod.

"What time?" I asked.

"At eight, think you can snag a dress by then, Lopez?" Puck's patent jackass smirk got me rolling my eyes and feeling normal within seconds.

"I'll find one and show you up _again_, Puckerman, that's a guarantee." The small tension my trip down memory lane caused evaporated quickly.

"Alright, you two, get going and enjoy today. You start training tomorrow then the official training with your team begins next week." Boss man looked at us with his expressive green eyes. "I believe in you."

"We won't let you down," I said softly before ducking out of his office. Puck followed close on my heels, his warm breath tickling my ear.

"We _won't_ let him down; you do know that, don't you?" He wrapped his fingers around my wrist and tugged me to a stop when I silently walked passed my office. "Tana?" He let me go once I turned to face him.

"What if I mess up and lose the full blood to the Rogues? Or worse, what if I get the charge _killed_?" My heart began thundering in my chest at a dangerous speed and my legs began to wobble. With perfect timing, Puck wrapped an arm around my waist to hold me steady before I fell to the floor.

"Whoa, you've never reacted to an assignment like _this_; you sure that's why you're freaking?" His hazel eyes searched mine as he led us out the building door to the cold January air. I sighed, shaking my head slowly.

"I've been dreaming of my parents again," I whispered. He sucked in a startled breath, easing me out of his embrace as he turned to close the exit.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?" His tone reflected the concern clearly etched in his gaze. He worried his bottom lip between his teeth as he ran a calloused hand through his mohawk. "Shit, that's why you don't want to go. _Shit_, should I go tell Shue we're a no go?" A small smile played on my lips as I watched Puck pace, finding amusement in the way his voice went up an octave.

"Give me some time, okay?" I finally said, reaching forward to place a hand on his broad shoulder. "I'll be fine by the ceremony." He frowned, obviously dubious of my claim. "You were right; it _did_ feel great when we recruited the guys, especially Sunshine."

"Sunshine _Asian_ _Eyes_ Corazon, she really digs you, you know. You're her hero," he smiled. I nodded, taking in a deep breath before standing tall.

"We're going to do this and we're going to do it as cleanly as we did Motta."

Puck snickered, a wicked gleam outshining the worry in his eyes. "Sounds fun to me," he winked.

"Wanky," I grinned, punching his arm good-naturedly.

"Lopez is _back_!" he hooted. Rolling my eyes, I threaded my arm through his and headed back into the AAA Appalachian Base.

"Shut up and you better swear this shit stays between us, no one needs to know about it." I jabbed my elbow into his side playfully.

"How about Maia?" he smirked. I stopped in my tracks, dropping his arm.

"Shit, I need to talk to her about this! I promised her I wouldn't accept any more missions without talking to her first."

"Sounds like trouble in paradise, maybe I should give her a call, help her when she dumps you."

I scowled at him, shoving him into the door. "I'll be in, in a sec."

"Whatever you say, Lopez, whatever you say."

I glared at his retreating form, dreading the phone call I was certain had to happen right then. With a defeated sigh, I reached into my pants pocket, wriggling out my cell with some effort. The device was warm in my palm and seemed to weigh more than usual. I knew Puck was right; Maia's chapter in my life was nearing a close. Tapping the screen to life, I quickly dialed her number.

"Hey beautiful," I greeted once she picked up. It only had to ring once before she answered.

"Hey baby, how'd the reporting go?" Her voice had an airy quality that never failed to add a sense of nonchalance to whatever she said.

"It went well. The Rose girl and her mom were taken in without a hitch and Shue's pleased." I rubbed the back of my neck, easing myself down to sit on a bench carved out of the mountain.

"What's wrong?" she asked. The hint of concern that licked at her tone did not go by unnoticed. Only on rare occasions when a large amount of distress was called for did she sound anything but indifferent.

"I've been called in for another assignment, and I said yes," I blurt out quickly. Seconds of silence followed my announcement and for a moment I thought she hung up.

"I thought decisions like that should be consulted. Damn it, Santana, we've been dating for nine fucking months! I _always_ talk to you about shit like this before I accept!" she snarled. I jerked the phone from my ear, wincing at not only her volume but the truth she hurled at me. "You better be shitting me, Santana, because I can't take it anymore! Do you know how long I spend wondering if you're okay? You went two fucking weeks _straight_ without contacting me at all when you were sent to pick up the Marley Rose girl. How do you think that makes me feel?" I could hear her labored breathing and prayed to whatever entity would listen that she wouldn't have a panic attack.

"Maia, I know but Puck and-"

"Of course, _Puck_," she sneered. "He's always been more important. I'm done Santana. I don't care that I've always said telephone breakups are stupid, because I'm done. I'm so fucking done!" Before I could utter another word, she hung up and the only sound coming through the line was the mocking dial tone.

"Well, that went… _well_." I stood there, gripping my phone in one hand while running the other through my loose hair.I hadn't expected any of the events that had unfolded to happen, especially in a single day. I thought I'd just wake up, file some information regarding Rose's recruitment then head to my bunk after some training to fall asleep with my girlfriend over the phone. Instead, I lost my girl, got roped into a highly sensitive and classified Full-Blood case and needed to get hold of some kick ass dress in order to beat Puckerman's ass in the best dressed department, _again_. God, sometimes I wished I was back with the Neilson's where the only burden I had was dealing with bitchy classmates. A gust of wind blew up the side of the mountain and enveloped me in a small tornado. I smiled, feeling my muscles relax under the gentle caress of the breeze.

Before accepting my place among the super powered, I never experienced any special interaction with nature, save the moments I was with Mrs. Jane and her flowers. Once I embraced the truth, that I was more than human, natured embraced me in a way that set me at peace, as if welcoming me into my new life. It was established that I had an affinity for the elements, even though I couldn't manipulate them at will.

Whenever I felt overwhelmed, I knew I could open a window and relax with nature's presence around me. Smells and sounds of flower gardens and the ocean would flood my room. On days that I felt lost in anger, animals would find their way to me in order to level my temper.

Chief Schuester was inclined to believe I was some sort of nymph or something but seriously? Santana 'Bad Ass' Lopez couldn't be a nymph, just no. I mean, there was absolutely nothing wrong with nymphs; they're known for beauty, grace and seduction, all of which I had. The only issue I had was the fact that nymphs were associated with defense rather than offense.

I shook my head, clearing my thoughts of the nymph matter in order to focus on what I had to deal with at that moment. It was time to put my big girl pants on and remind everyone, myself included, that I was the head bitch in charge because I deserved it. I sauntered back in, a firm smirk planted on my lips as I walked into my office, gathered my things then headed to the living quarters of the base.

I went straight to where I knew Sunshine would be and got her to accompany me on my search for the perfect dress. We spent a good hour or so before we found it, a form fitting, scarlet red dress that was made of silk which barely made it to mid-thigh.

The entire time we spent together, the younger girl looked at me with curious brown eyes that reminded me of a deer caught in headlights. She was an empath, so I assumed she must have felt a lot off with my emotions. There were times I knew she was going to question me but I dodged the interrogation skillfully by singing; she always had a weak spot for Lady Gaga.

By the time we had to leave for the ceremony, I was prepared with enough glitz and glamor to give Beyoncé a run for her money. Santana Lopez _always_ killed.

Sunshine and I walked into the ballroom, arm in arm. Her black dress complimented mine and everyone stared. Guys and gals drooled, like that was a surprise. My eyes roamed the lavish decorations that covered most of the walls instead of the many admirers I acquired. There were tables set up as if it were a dinner benefit some fat cat would throw. Plates of fine china with gold trim were set and linen napkins complimented them. All 25 hundred square feet of the ballroom looked magical and grand. Half the room was taken up by the tables and the rest was left for dancing. The stage set up had a sign hanging above that stated my name as well as Puck's in big red letters. It also had a number 9 in blue to show how many pledges we had gotten for AAA and an underlined number 10 to state the mission we were on. The full blood would be my tenth mission as an agent, a great checkpoint to pass indeed.

Puck and I made our acceptance official in front of our comrades and superiors. I made a speech and accepted Karofsky's praise with as much grace as I could as he handed me a golden arm band. I smiled at him and pushed back the tears that threatened to spill. During each acceptance ceremony, David Karofsky was the one to give me the protection charm. His was the honor because he was my coach and took Puck and me under his wing when we came into the allegiance. The big lug became like an older brother to me, especially when he helped guide me through my acceptance of my sexuality. He was the only one to know that I wasn't bisexual, but completely lesbian. He winked at me from across the stage once it was time to go down and mingle with everyone else and treat the night as a party until the end.

As the event went on, toasts were made, dances were done, tears were shed, words were slurred and a night was shared. In the nearly five years I spent with the AAA, I grew to love everyone as family. It was different than what I had been part of growing up, bouncing from foster family to foster family. Going out on missions got harder and easier to do, reason being, I knew I'd be helping someone but there was always a certain level of danger which meant returning _home_ wasn't always so certain.

_Home_, the word pulled at my heart strings. It was strange but not unwelcome. It was a word I had used more and more with each passing week. When the ceremony finally neared its end, we gathered on the dance floor. All 92 of the active agents currently stationed at our base, including Puck and I, 14 of the elder supervisors and Chief Schuester stood at attention as a melody that sounded familiar to a slow paced version of Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" began to play. As a whole, we simultaneously raised our right hands to rest over our heart and recited a pledge we all learned by heart. A pledge we took once our position in the AAA became official; a pledge that bound us together as a family and as an army for the greater good.

**_"_**_With a mighty heart and earnest breaths, I do hereby pledge myself to the Alliance of Abnormal Affairs. With my given gifts of blood, I will stand by my duty of honor and courage. With my spirit of power, I shall fight for the just and good. I will be an agent, a warrior, for all of creation, upholding peace for all in need, never to abuse or misuse. I do solemnly pledge to always serve and protect, putting duty and love above all, always_."

Our voices blended together, forming one massive chant. It was beautiful in its power, and pride and courage blossomed within my chest. We cheered; content with the buzz the words provided us through old magic the founder of the organization.

"Long live The Alliance!"

"Long live The Good!"

"Long live Santana and Noah!"

The cheers continued and they were so full of love and support that Puck didn't even gripe about the use of his first name. With a final cheer, we began to dissipate and head toward our rooms for sleep. A few people still gave me slaps on the back and playful nudges when they passed me. Sunshine had to elbow her way through the crowd in order to drag me back to our room.

She gushed about my beauty and poise on the stage, going on about the way everyone stared. I laughed, hugging the girl close before chiding her to get into bed. She huffed, shuffling toward her side of the room nonetheless. We undressed and changed into our pajamas in near silence, save our soft humming.

"Tana, you're coming home, right?" she whispered once I tucked her in. With the soft moon light streaming through our windows, I saw the tears that gathered in her large dark eyes. "You're my sister and I'm yours, right?"

I looked down at her and nodded, unable to talk around the lump that stuck in my throat. Bending down, I pushed back strands of her dark hair and placed a kiss on her forehead.

"Night kid," I strangled out. I quickly retreated to my own bed, dropping my body with a soft grunt. I didn't fall asleep until a few hours after Sunshine's breathing evened out.

The last thought that consciously crossed my mind was a determined chant of _home_.

* * *

**Any questions, concerns or if you're just bored, send me a message, comment or check out my tumblr. I love hearing from you guys, it makes my day! Especially since my life right now revolves around school, fanfics and soccer. I have no phone and no friends so I need you guys... yes, I'm a little awkward but pity me lol****  
**

**TUMBLR: crazy-lady-wolf at tumblr dot com**

**Hope you enjoyed and hope to hear from you soon!**

**PS Brittana will appear soon, promise!**


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